Her Support
by AGirlWhoLikesToSayHi
Summary: Mafuyu is blessed with caring and supportive friends.
1. Sick

A/N: Finally submitting this after nearly 3 years of on and off writing. Lots of hurt/comfort because I'm a devious human being! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Sick**

Her cheeks were flushed, eyelids drooping, and a trail of thick, translucent green snot was slipping from her nostril. Ayabe's eyebrow twitched as he viewed his classmate (friend?) as she sluggishly munched his prepared bento. He swiveled away when their eyes met, instead focusing on the abundance of clouds in the sky. Mafuyu hummed.

"Yummy as always, Ayaben," was her happy, muffled compliment.

Ayabe scoffed, fingers curling tighter on his own box to keep from wiping off the spare bits of rice stuck on her cheeks, "It's rude to talk without swallowing your food first."

"Ah, my ba- I mean…" Mafuyu's jaw worked furiously to consume everything. Too quickly. Her breath hitched, and she coughed to remove some of the bits that had gone down her windpipe. With a fist, she beat at her ribs to force the unwanted material out. _Smack! Smack!_ In moments, the contents had been regurgitated into her box as a slobbery mess. " _Hurk!"_

"You idiot," Ayabe grumbled, wrinkling his nose. His grimace morphed into a tight frown when she continued to hack her lungs out. Bento clattering to the concrete, he reached out an arm to pat Mafuyu's back. "O- Oi, you okay?!"

"I'm," she croaked, her own lunch laying upturned and forgotten next to her. Her gasps for air were insistent as the coughing finally subsided, and her face was dripping with sweat and coloured an unusual shade of red. "fine, Aya...ben. Why's your… hand so cold?"

"What?!" he exclaimed, using the back of his other hand to touch her forehead. "You're burning up!"

"What're yo…?" words slurring, Mafuyu blinked as the world around her became hazy. The cloudy sky was now a swirling mess of white and gray. Everything was all squiggly and hurting her eyes, and when did Ayaben have three heads? Oh…

 _Fwump!_

"Kurosaki!"

0o0 ? 0o0

The soft light of the infirmary penetrated her eyelids. Mafuyu flinched, weakly turning her face away and into the plush pillow. A wet cloth slipped off her forehead, and something grazed her sweaty arm.

"Kurosaki-san," it was the... nurse? She spoke in a gentle manner, volume low. "How are you feeling?"

"I," Mafuyu croaked, pulling her arm away to cover her eyes. "Feel _really_ bad."

"Of course you do," a harsher voice cut in. "What have you been doing?"

"Ayabe-san!"

She lifted her arm slightly and cracked her eyes open. Next to the concerned nurse was a glaring Ayabe, his killing intent almost palpable. Gulping, Mafuyu shied away from his sharp eyes, "Nothing… nothing in particular."

And by nothing, she meant it could have been from the nearly expired food she had gotten on sale at the market. Or when she'd gone to sleep with the window open the other night. Or from when she had fallen into the school pond trying to do a cool fish catching technique she'd seen on TV. Or…

"Geez, so unbelievably stupid."

Ah, she had said that out loud, "S-sorry…"

"In any case," the nurse began, her gaze darting between the two before they finally settled on Mafuyu. "You'll need to be sent home so you can rest properly. It's a shame you don't stay in the dorms, but I'm aware you don't live particularly far away. Do you have anyone who can pick you up?"

Mafuyu closed her eyes again and coughed into the crook of her elbow, "Um, no. I live alone. Maybe… Saeki-sensei?"

"Unfortunately, he's teaching a class, at the moment. Is there anyone else?"

Mafuyu frowned, her brain churning at a snail's pace. She did not want to ask Hayasaka, Ninja, or Aki. They were all probably in class. Banchou was off who knows where and would likely not want to be in such an embarrassing situation. Then that left… "It's fine. I can go by myself."

"Kurosaki-san, I do not recommend…" But Mafuyu was already sitting up, her limbs shaking slightly.

"Like you said, my home isn't far. I can make it on my own."

Before she could swing her legs around to the left side of the bed, a small object flew at her head. _Smack_! It slid down Mafuyu's face and plopped into her lap. A cold mask?

"Put that on, wash your hands, and get ready. I'll get your bag from your classroom," with that, Ayabe turned away and strode briskly out of the room.

After a moment of silence, the nurse giggled, "You have a good friend, Kurosaki-san."

"Huh?"

"Ayabe-san barged in with you on his back and actually instructed me on what to do. He must care a lot for you."

"..."

"Kurosaki-san?"

 _Uwaaah!_ Fingers clenching and unclenching the mask, Mafuyu could feel her already red face deepen in shade. Her eyes sparkled slightly, and a wide smile worked its way onto her lips. Hearing someone else affirming the friendship she had with Ayaben… It made her really, _really_ happy!

0o0 🐇 0o0

"We're off," Ayabe bowed his head to the nurse as he left with Mafuyu, her hands now clean and mask on. The transition from the bed to his back had exhausted her, so she dozed on his shoulder, careful not to drool. Her bag was hanging off his right shoulder, and his ever-present guitar case was turned around so that it was held in place in front of him. He may not be in his powerful cleaning state, but he had the strength to do this much, at least.

"Be safe!" the nurse tried to say, but the door had already shut behind them. In the distance, muffled by the walls and windows, a rumble of thunder rolled across the skies. "Oh dear. I should have given them an umbrella."

0o0 🐇 0o0

"Shit!"

Water droplets flew as a pair of feet stomped across puddles. They had not even made it a few minutes out of the school campus before the downpour began. Soaked to the bone, Ayabe tensed as Mafuyu's shivering became more apparent. Lips pursed tightly, he quickened his pace, trusting his memory of the directions the nurse had given him.

There! The apartment complex finally came into view, so Ayabe rushed into the building's main lobby. Without even pausing to try the elevator, he bounded up the stairs to the correct floor. Lightning flashed through the pounding rain, which was blowing harshly in all directions and into the walkways. So just as he spotted the correct room number, his foot caught on a particularly slippery patch. Expletives spilled forth.

Boy, girl, broom, and all tumbled gracelessly to the floor.

As his face met concrete, Ayabe's heart stopped for a moment as he heard the cacophony of a muffled clatter, his precious broom (his Fujishima) in its case, and the wet slap of a body, his classmate (his _friend_ ). He scrambled to his feet, sneakers squeaking slightly, but for a split second he paused. Fingers twitching slightly, his hand extended forward, rested on cloth, and shook.

"Kurosaki! Can you hear me? Hey… c'mon!" Something cold had begun forming in his stomach. In an instant, he was back on that bus, selfishly leaving behind his beloved family. He could not breath. Oh, _god_ , he-

"Ahhh, how cruel. To drop such a lovely high school girl like me," was the weak, grousy, and agonizingly delayed reply.

"Haaah," everything fell back into place, and he could move again. Gingerly, he helped her stand and fumbled for her apartment key. They staggered towards the door, grabbed Fujishima along the way, and Ayabe unlocked the entrance with relief. "Finally. Now, I'm just going to leave you here and…"

He scanned the apartment with horror.

"This is… absolutely barbaric."

"It's not that bad," Mafuyu rasped, numbed to the chaotic mess that was her home. Littering the floorboards were discarded bits of clothes, papers, and trash. Dishes were scattered around the sink, unwashed and emitting pungent odors. A brownish substance trickled out from beneath what was surely the bathroom door. Against some walls were haphazardly stacked boxes filled with junk. Unsurprisingly, a creepy crawly scuttled underneath a discarded bag of chips. Ew.

Eyebrow twitching, Ayabe took a shaky breath, swaying slightly despite not being the one who was ill. He closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply a few more times, "Kurosaki, can you make it to your bedroom by yourself?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Good. Then, go in, get changed, and get some goddamned rest," his expression was stony, shoulders already shaking. "I'll check on you in a bit."

Before she even realized it, she was practically shoved into her room, door slammed shut behind her. In the minutes it took her to rip off the cold mask, change, and crawl into bed, the cleaning frenzy had already begun. No doubt she would later receive a loud lecture from him on the finer points of home maintenance. It was well-deserved, though. What fine lady would leave her abode in such a state?

"Ah, such a disgrace," she murmured drowsily, her eyes fluttering shut.

0o0 🐇 0o0

Ayabe whistled a cheery tune (one from an anime his siblings watch - something about a girl in love with a mangaka?) and stroked the wood of his broom gently, other cleaning tools piled neatly behind him. His face was red and his eyes were slightly glazed over, "Ah, Fujishima, another fine job we've done, yes? You all as well, Sugita, Makimura, and Shinomiya."

In just an hour, he had managed to make the apartment space glow with tidiness. Ayabe's homemaking spirit had even driven him into writing a simple instructions list for Mafuyu on how to maintain it (as he had done for his siblings once they had reconciled). The faint clatter of water on glass reminded him that the storm was still going, meaning he would have to wait before he made the trek back to the dorms. And besides, how could he leave her alone?

"Hmmnn," he returned the broom and its friends to their case and headed towards the compact kitchen. "Perhaps I should cook? ...Hah. Knowing Kurosaki, she probably doesn't have anything suitable."

His suspicions were confirmed as he opened the refrigerator. Nothing but snacks, drinks, and microwaveable meals. Another deep sigh (one of many that day) escaped him as he turned to where he had left a recently discovered umbrella by the entranceway. Once again, his movement was torn, body turned towards the entrance yet head twisting towards Mafuyu's room.

In just a few steps, he was at the door to her room and knocked lightly, "Kurosaki?" No reply. "Still sleeping?" Silence. "Mmm, well, I'm coming in."

The mess in the bedroom was, thankfully, not as unnerving as the other rooms had been. Really, it reminded him somewhat of his sister's room, so he was barely fazed by the scattered bits of garments (besides the fact that they were not in a laundry basket). Tutting softly, he resolutely, if reluctantly, ignored it all in favor of checking on his friend, whom appeared to be sleeping soundly in her bed. As he closed the distance between them, Mafuyu's shaky breathing was all too apparent, likely caused by congestion, and her body quivered from chills despite the heavy blanket providing warmth. Her hair was still damp, causing dark patches to appear on her pillow.

"Kurosaki," he attempted to rouse her once more, laying the back of his hand against her forehead like he had done earlier. Her temperature seemed no better nor worse, but he could not be sure unless he had a thermometer, which - of the many knickknacks the girl had - was frustratingly absent in this apartment. Before he could continue his query, Mafuyu's eyebrows knitted together tightly, and the corners of her mouth twisted downwards.

 _GROWL!_

Exhaling loudly, Ayabe straightened up, "Well, Mafu-Mafu," his voice was soft and teasing. "It seems I'll need to do some shopping."

0o0 🐇 0o0

When Mafuyu finally cracked open her eyes, her clogged sinuses were flooded with the scent of something delicious. Drool slipping from her lips, Mafuyu began the aching process of sitting up and was aided by a steady arm. Blinking through the haze of sleepiness and sickness, her gaze focused on her friend's motherly face before making a beeline to whatever scrumptious item was in his hands.

"Hold it," Ayabe commanded, halting her sorry attempt to reach for what was definitely a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup accompanied by a glass of water and an uncapped bottle of small pills on a tray. She paused long enough for him to place the food on her bedside table and help her prop her body up against the wall of her room with a few pillows. He then cautiously picked the tray up again to rest it on her blanket-covered lap. "Take one of those pills, then eat slowly, and for god's sake it may just be noodles but CHEW before you swallow."

If her mind was not already occupied with the prospect of food and her mouth in the process of swallowing a pill, she would have given him a jaunty salute and quipped back goofily. She barely noticed the springboards of her mattress depress slightly as Ayabe took a seat to observe her as she carefully devoured her meal.

A few minutes later, he nodded in satisfaction as she finished about two thirds of the soup before calling it quits for the sake of her cartwheeling stomach and gulped down the entire glass of water. Ayabe took the tray back silently and instructed Mafuyu to put the thermometer he had handed her under her armpit. Returning from the kitchen a moment later, he found her slouched against her pillow rest and looking dizzily at the thermometer.

"Dunno if this is good or bad," she mumbled as she offered it back.

Ayabe eyed the thermometer critically, relaxing as he read the number, "You'll be okay with more sleep. Honestly, you should be taking better care of yourself, especially with living alone like this."

"I don't get sick much," she defended, words slurred and eyelids heavy. "And my friends back home weren't exactly… the best at dealing with it either."

Ayabe blinked. He found it hard to imagine Mafuyu with friends who were not Yui and Hayasaka.

"Honestly, how could that stupid M think that dangling from the ceiling upside down could cure a cold?!" she groused. "And Kangawa, the idiot, lined up a bunch of dumbasses to beat up when I came to school with a headache! I couldn't even trust them to stay out of trouble when _they_ were sick." Her voice lowered until he could barely make out the words. Something about 'dragging them back from the other side of town' and 'tied to a cow statue'?

His weight once again depressing the mattress, Ayabe leaned forward with his face buried in his hands. Of course her old friends would be absolute shitheads! He was surprised that she managed to survive for so long.

"What about your parents?"

Mafuyu's expression soured, "As long as they didn't hear about me getting into trouble, they didn't bother. Mom sometimes cared for me when I was sick, but she usually ended up scolding me more than helping." She waved off his reply before it even started. "Ugh, I bet your siblings didn't give you this much trouble."

"Oh no," Ayabe deadpanned, straightening up to look at her. "They're the worst when it comes to being sick."

"Ehh?"

"One time," Ayabe began counting out his fingers. "Kosue couldn't make it to the toilet in time so she left a trail of vomit on the carpet. When I had a sore throat, Akimi and Koushiro nearly drowned me in honey. When she had a cold, Ichika wouldn't stop whining about how much effort it took to look flawless and how her hair just wouldn't curl right. Umetsugu convinced his class that he was dying. The sheer amount of gifts we received in a week was ungodly. And don't get me started on-"

Warm fingers tapped lightly on his forehead.

"You're awesome, Ayaben," Mafuyu complemented, patting him gently.

"I… uh," he wavered, face beginning to burn.

"An amazing brother and a wonderful friend," she continued, eyes crinkling as she grinned.

"You… you too," Ayabe ducked his head to escape. "I mean, as a friend. You're a pretty great friend, too."

Mafuyu chuckled as she collapsed back into her pillows and closed her eyes, "Tell me more about them. What about your parents? What happened when they got sick?"

"Well…"

0o0 🐇 0o0

Takaomi sighed loudly as he scrutinized Mafuyu snoring softly and Ayabe slouching against the bed, both fast asleep. Running a hand through his hair, he crouched down, effortlessly threw the boy over his shoulder, and strode out of the room.

"Like hell I'm leaving you here overnight."

 _ **End**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Next chapter in 2 days.


	2. Shot

**_Shot_**

"The glasses don't really suit you."

Okegawa Kyotaro clicked his tongue, resisting the urge to run his fingers through his bangs so that they were slicked back on his scalp. The glasses, rectangular with red-tinted lenses, honestly did not fit with his facial structure and having more than a few hairs tickling his forehead was bothersome, but it was a better disguise than none at all.

"Your hair is kind of cute, though."

Halting in his tracks, he turned towards the wall of a building and promptly smashed his head against it. He ignored the raised voice of alarm and bits of brick crumbling around his face. For some reason, his face was burning. His mind was reeling. Lifting his head, he smacked it against the stone once more.

"O-Oi! Ban- _mmph_!"

Shooting a palm over the offending voice's mouth, Okegawa stared into his companion's eyes, "We're out in the open, Mo… Natsuo."

Kurosaki Mafuyu, currently under the guise of the somewhat charismatic (at least with the ladies) Natsuo, stilled for a moment before nodding. She sighed as the hand was removed, "Sorry… senpai?"

Okegawa grimaced, "No."

"Uhhhh, Kyon?"

"N. O."

Natsuo paused in thought before smiling goofily and snapping her fingers, "Princess!"

" _Stop_ ," he pinched the bridge of his nose, marveling at how such a princely character could go from ten to zero so quickly. "Remind me again why I'm spending my afternoon wandering the neighborhood with you?"

"Well, students have been getting harassed around here lately, so Saeki-sensei wanted us to investigate. While we're patrolling, Hayasaka-kun, Ninja, and Aki are making sure everyone gets back to their dorms and homes safely."

"We deal with the scum; they handle the rest. Got it," he shoved his hands into the pockets of his borrowed hoodie as they continued their steady pace down the sidewalk. This was going to be a _long_ afternoon…

"Oh, remember that place!" Natsuo tugged at his sleeve, pointing at the arcade they had visited the day they became friends (and almost got busted by security). Her cheeky grin grew wider. "If we weren't patrolling, I'd definitely win you another Nekomata."

… But at least he had good company.

They bantered in a similar fashion for the next hour, always attentive of people and alleys and any possible location or situation for shady business. Not long after their second circuit through the area, did they finally encounter some ruckus. The ruckus being several sleazily-dressed men surrounding two students (defenseless princesses bravely trying to stutter out their refusals and escape). When a girl shrieked as a guy grabbed her arm, Okegawa and Natsuo swung into action.

The thug who grabbed the girl screamed as he felt his wrist snap under an iron grip. Natsuo flung the man aside while she placed herself between the rest of the lowlifes and the girls. As the men in front of the group surged forward, Okegawa barreled into them, toppling them down like a line of dominoes. Struggling to rise, the scum shouted in protest when they noticed Natsuo ushering their prey out of the alley and telling them to go straight back to the dorms. The one at the back of the group yanked something from his jacket, pointing whatever it was at Okegawa's towering frame as he steadily mowed his way through the frazzled gang.

"I'm not gonna let a couple of brats mess with us!" the thug's expression grew darker as the girls finally disappeared from view. Natsuo whirled back around to rejoin the fray, eyes widening as she caught the glint of metal and the click of the safety coming off. She dug her foot into the ground, propelling herself forward.

"Banchou! Watch ou-!"

 _BANG!_

Okegawa grunted as he was pushed aside, his eyes glued on Natsuo. She stumbled for a split second but continued to speed forwards. Before the gun-toting bastard could lower his still smoking weapon, his vision was full of brown. A hand snatched the gun away. Click! Plink! Clink! The bastard gaped as pieces of metal fell to the pavement.

"Guns are illegal," Natsuo stated coldly, pocketing the ammunition of the dismantled gun. As she raised her other hand to strike, the thug crumpled to the ground, having been struck with a heavy blow to the back of the neck. His body was the last to join all of the other unconscious men. Sighing with relief, Natsuo peered up at Okegawa. "No one escaped?"

"Nope."

"Nice work! Now, we can call the cops and Saeki-sensei and-"

"You're hurt."

"Wha…" Natsuo glanced down at her left shoulder, numbly registering the blood blooming and staining the cloth of her jacket. "Oh… that's not good."

"I'm calling an ambulance," Okegawa ground out, whipping his phone out and resisting the urge to pound all of the thugs into a fine paste. As he dialed the numbers, Natsuo snatched the device from his hands with a big 'NO.' He stared blankly at his now empty palm for a moment.

"WHAT?! WHY?!"

"My… my parents can't know about this," she explained, sweat beading on her forehead as she ripped off the jacket sleeve of her bad arm. "Can you tell me if the bullet went through? There's a hole on the other side, right?"

"I.. yeah," he affirmed weakly, realizing he had never seen this much blood coming from a comrade before. Natsuo hastily wrapped the torn cloth tightly around her upper arm and shoulder, patted it (and winced) once, and nodded. Before Okegawa could say anything else, he was handed back his phone and relinquished his own jacket to hide his friend's injuries.

Turning towards the alley exit, Natsuo lead the way out, "We should get moving. Call the police while we goooohhhh…" Her impressive display of control slipped as the adrenaline ebbed and her legs became jelly. "Owowowow uggggggghhhhhh!"

Okegawa wasted no more time in scooping her up and rocketing out of the alley. He barely remembered phoning the cops or Natsuo telling him the directions to her apartment. The world was a blur until they were inside with the door soundly shut. His shoulders heaved as he gulped up air. Smacking his back against the wall, he slid down to the floor.

"What do we… what can I do, now?" he asked, watching as Natsuo flung off her wig to become Mafuyu once more.

"Ugh, uh," Mafuyu wriggled out of his grasp and staggered to her feet, using the wall to support her. "First aid kit is in the bathroom. Should have some sewing stuff… somewhere. Umm, towels. And I… I'm, uh…" She had not even made it a few steps before she slumped to the floor and laid on her side . "Just gonna rest here… Maybe get me a blanket from my room? Need to maintain my temperature or whatevers to prevent shock, I think."

"Yeah, okay." Okegawa was on his feet, again, and gathered all of the requested items with some verbal, tired guidance from Mafuyu. When everything was piled next to her, he knelt down beside her as she used her good arm (which was poking out of the blanket cocoon she had wrapped herself in earlier) to arrange everything.

"You're gonna stitch this up for me."

"... We can't just call the others?"

She shook her head, "There's no time."

"I-"

"Banchou," Their eyes met. "You can do this."

"...Okay, tell me what to do."

0o0 🐇 0o0

"-orse. _Morse!_ "

"Oh, good morning, Nekomata-saaaannnn! What happened to your wonderful mustache?"

Okegawa resisted the urge to rip Mafuyu off her bed by the collar and headbutt her in the face. Instead, he groaned and leaned heavily against the mattress, back stubbornly facing her, "You've been out for about an hour. If you don't start talking sense, I'm hauling you over to the hospital."

"Pffft," She lazily flailed her good arm at him, tapping out ' _I'm fine_ ' in Morse code over and over on his shoulder. "It's just a bit of blood loss (and a load of pain, but I'll handle it). Not toooo bad, and your stitches are good. Hehe, maybe I should introduce you to the Crafts Club?"

"Those macho assholes? No, thanks. They denied my request for a Nekomata quilt…" He muttered the last part to himself. When her tapping ceased so she could cough into her hand, he passed her a bottle of water he had found in her fridge. She chugged it.

"Did you tell Hayasaka-kun and the others, yet?" she asked once the bottle was drained and tossed into a bin by the door.

"Uh, no," he glanced at her, finally turning a bit so that he could rest his arm on the bed. "I kinda… forgot."

"It's fine. Would be kinda weird to say I got shot when Natsuo is the one who was patrolling with you."

"Mmm, what were 'you' supposed to be doing, anyways?"

"Oh, T… Saeki-sensei told them I'd be with him sorting out some other club stuff."

"...Should we have texted _him_ about this?"

They stared at each other.

"We're dead," Mafuyu declared, shifting her head towards the ceiling as she tapped ' _rest in peace_ ' on Okegawa's arm. "We'll both be held back a year and be servants to him for eternity to atone for our sins."

"God, if Kawauchi and Gotou graduate before me…" he grimaced, raising his left hand to tap out ' _end me_ ' on the back of her right hand.

She laughed deliriously, "Man, I didn't have to deal with this the last time I was shot."

"You… you were WHAT?!" Okegawa straightened up and leaned closer to her, countless questions on his lips.

"Not a real gun!" she amended, cowed by the intensity of his eyes. "Airsoft! Back home, my friends and I (but mostly my friends) were being stupid and pissed off a league or something. They tried to gang up on us at a park, but we managed to beat them! It was fun!"

"Except for the part where you got shot."

"Ah, yeah… Multiple times. Who knew rubber pellets could hurt so much?"

"You couldn't dodge?"

"Some of my guys were under fire," She reasoned. "I had to protect them."

Her eyes challenged him, asking for any type of argument to soundly be crushed by her resolve. Okegawa sighed, breaking her gaze and running a hand over his face to hide a blush, "I would have done the same… I have done the same."

"Ohhh?" Her eyes sparkled.

"Yeah, middle school. Some asshole thought it would be a good idea to drop shit on a buddy of mine. I nudged him away, ended up with a banged up shoulder, and threw the asshat into a wall."

"Poor wall," Mafuyu hummed, a tight grin holding back more laughter. "I tried to kick through a wall once and busted my leg."

"Why?"

"I thought it'd make a cool dramatic entrance. My friends agreed. My parents… not so much."

Okegawa chuckled, "Reminds me of when-"

0o0 🐇 0o0

"So there I was, noodles in one hand, stapler in the other, back against the fence of a petting zoo with a goat nibbling at my skirt…"

"And the clown?"

"Oh, the clown was there, bowl still on his head. Mad as hell. Hah! You should've seen-"

 _SLAM!_ The door to the apartment swung open violently. Mafuyu and Okegawa froze as they heard stomping approach the bedroom and the jiggle of the handle.

"Oi, how'd the patrol go? I didn't get a call or text. Okegawa still isn't at his dorm and…" Takaomi paused as he entered the room, locking eyes with Mafuyu, then Okegawa, then the drying blood on Mafuyu's arm.

"What. _Happened?_ "

 ** _End_**


	3. Struck

**_Struck_**

Takaomi had told them about a group of students who had been harassing others into joining them, pranking other clubs, and being a general band of jackasses. He needed someone to beat the shit out of them and expected the club's disbandment papers by the end of the day. Natsuo was originally meant to help, but Mafuyu could not resist Hayasaka begging to fight alongside Super Bun, instead.

After classes had drawn to a close, she almost exploded as his bubbly smile greeted her when she joined them, mask firmly on and hair ponytailed. The march to where the ruffians gathered did not help her nerves, either. Were all the sparkly glances of admiration necessary? Yui seemed to be observing them quite seriously, but it was probably just something ninja-related. Maybe he wanted to wear a mask, too?

A chill fell over them. They jumped away from each other, narrowly dodging a falling school desk. Super Bun scooped up a pebble as Yui pulled out his shuriken. _Crack! Fwish!_ A figure leaning out of a second story window was soundly smacked in the chin by the rock and thrown back by the force of several projectiles. _Kthunk!_ Whoever that guy was, he was undoubtedly stuck to a wall now.

Dozens of guys popped out from behind trees, bushes, corners, and just about anywhere someone could feasibly hide. Quickly hopping closer to cover each other, Super Bun, Hayasaka, and Yui fended off the droves with ease. A well-aimed punch. A vicious kick. Several more shuriken. They would probably have these guys' resignation papers in mere minutes.

Something sharp gleamed. Super Bun turned. She should have trusted them to defend themselves. They were both quick and able to dodge. But, the moment she noticed the blade, her mind dissolved until only Danger! and _Protect!_ remained. There was not even time to cry out some silly, high-pitched warning. She broke their circle and darted between them, hoping she had time to divert the blade as it stabbed forward.

 _Schlunk!_

Yui and Hayasaka watched as Super Bun twisted a guy's arm and tossed him into several of his fellows.

"Oh, nice."

"Woah!"

 _I wanna try!_ They thought, already attempting to do the same. Hayasaka grabbed someone by the collar and pulled him close before shoving him into another, toppling a few thugs like dominoes. Yui kicked a person off their feet and, as they were mid-fall, rocketed them back with another kick to the stomach. The people behind him did not stand a chance. Any remaining hooligans began to look among themselves, edging away and wondering if they should even try.

Hayasaka turned to his idol, "Super Bun! Did you see-"

"Sign this," Super Bun shoved a pen and a club resignation paper into the chest of a cowering student, presumably the leader. So cool! And… how odd. Hayasaka realized her voice was rougher than usual. Yui tapped him on the shoulder and held up a stack of papers. Ah.

For the next couple of minutes, they handed out forms to quivering students, sometimes laying them on top of unconscious bodies. They made sure to hand out pens and pencils and retrieve them from the ones who have finished filling theirs out. To be honest, they had been ready for more fighting…

"Let's go," Super Bun ordered as they gathered the papers that they could and reminded the hooligans to inform their knocked out friends about what to do. Her back was to them, shoulders hunched and hands on her hips, palms pressed heavily against her waist. Yui and Hayasaka shared a look before following the deliberate stomping down the path until they reached the entrance of the 2nd year building.

It clicked to Hayasaka that this was the first time she was just sticking around after a fight and bounded up to her excitedly, a hundred and one questions on his lips, "Super Bun! Are you going back to the club room with uuuuaAAAHHH _MMMPPPHHH!_ "

A hand shot up to cover his exclamation. Hayasaka felt like he had been dumped in ice as he watched the slow spread of blood on Super Bun's shirt. There was what seemed to be a box cutter lodged in her stomach. She was hurt! _Super Bun_ was-

Yui stepped forward, hand diving into his pocket for his phone, "Kurosaki, you need an ambulance."

 _"Mmmrph!"_

Super Bun shook her head, "I don't, Ninja. Let's go to the club room. Aki can fix this."

 _"Muphophaphi!?"_

"Ah, my bad, Hayasaka," she removed her hand and moved it back to join her other hand in applying pressure on her midriff. Her march back towards the club continued. Yui followed after her, phone still in his hands and saying he would text Aki in advance. Probably something along the lines of: Please prepare to stitch up a stab wound. Hayasaka stood stock still for a moment.

He stared after her, feeling the heat on his face rise. The hair. The height. He should have…

"You-" Hayasaka trembled. "You're-!"

Super Bun staggered to a halt, "Oh, _shit_ …!"

"Huh?" Yui glanced back at him. "You didn't know?"

Hayasaka felt his vision go blurry. What the hell?! Should he be furious? Depressed? Worried that his hero was bleeding out?

"GUYS!" Aki hurtled around the corner, nearly tripping as he stumbled to Super Bun's side. He immediately handed her a couple hand towels, rambling at her to keep applying pressure. "What are you standing around here for? Actually, Mafuyu, how are you even still walking?! Hayasaka, Yui! Help me carry her!"

Despite his bombarded mind, Hayasaka went into autopilot. Together, the three boys lifted a grumbling Super Bun into a flat position and shuffled her swiftly into their club room where Aki had hurriedly arranged desks into a makeshift operating table. Aki left the two of them to lay her down and locked the door, even going so far as grabbing a broom to bar it from sliding open. The windows were left uncovered. They were on the second floor and needed all the light they could get. With the room secured, Kurosaki took off her mask.

"Remove, sanitize, stitch," she commanded through gritted teeth. The mask fell to the floor with a clatter. "I'm _not_ going to a hospital."

She devolved into a rambling mess after that, more to keep herself awake and out of shock. Some of it was useful, like instructing Aki and basically commandeering everyone's jackets and coats for warmth. Others were overdramatic tellings of how her parents were going to disown her, one of which involved her being a rabbit and her parents as wolves. Hayasaka felt like bolting whenever she began one of her nonsensical songs to get through the worst parts of the procedure. Sometimes her eyes were screwed shut or glaring determinately at the ceiling, but no one could deny she was crying through it all.

Hayasaka and Yui had become robots, any emotions thrown aside in favor of assisting in any way that they could. Aki remained a bright spark of levity even as his hands were covered and blood and voice strangled with stress. Mafuyu continued to lay as still as she could, fists balled up tightly when she no longer needed her arms to stem the bleeding. Her own will lasted her through the entire operation.

When the last of the stitches were being sewn, Hayasaka was throwing anything disposable into a trash bag. He studiously avoided Kurosaki's gaze. As he grabbed another bloody towel and tossed it into the bag, fingers weakly grasped at his wrist. When they found purchase, they curled and tugged gently. Hayasaka could not avoid her any longer.

Their eyes met, but neither of them said a word. Aki finished sewing the stitches and cleaning up her wound and any blood that was not soaked into her clothes. Yui quietly took the trash bag and completed gathering all the rubbish. Hayasaka and Mafuyu continued to stare at one another. One with a million questions, the other with countless apologies.

Hayasaka gulped, "Kurosaki, I…"

She yawned. It was loud, obnoxious, and completely ruined the mood.

"Mm," she released her grip and rubbed her eyes. "Sorry, what did you - ?"

"No," Hayasaka lowered his head and shuffled back, feeling like a coward. "It's… nothing."

"Eh?! It's definitely not nothing! It can't just be nothing after you found out I'm - "

"M-Mafuyu!" Aki rushed forward to stop her from getting up. "You shouldn't get so worked up in your state. You could reopen your stitches, and I'd… I'd rather not…"

She finally tore her eyes away from Hayasaka to focus on Aki, patting her underclassman's head apologetically, "I understand. I'll, uh," another, almost jaw-unhinging, yawn. "Try to calm down a bit."

"Kurosaki needs rest," Yui cut in, midway through climbing back in the room from a window. When had he gone to dispose of the trash? "Most club activities should be done by now, so the teachers will start making their rounds soon to check for stragglers."

"Should we take her to the dorm? Ayabe probably won't mind…"

"Nooo," Mafuyu groaned, cringing a bit as she flopped back down on the desks. "My dignity as a fine lady would be tarnished! Mostly, though, it might be hard to hide me overnight, especially since there's no school tomorrow."

"Mmm," Aki tapped a finger on his chin. "You're right. I guess we could…"

0o0 🐇 0o0

They were terrible at being inconspicuous. It should have been simple to piggyback Mafuyu through campus and town. Just cover her with a jacket and _Bam!_ Hidden. Unfortunately, a blond delinquent carrying a girl was cause for concern of any passerby. Luckily, Aki was there to avert their attention and give bullshit excuses. Yui followed along with Mafuyu's stuff and was very unhelpful in trying to help anyone calm down. Hayasaka remained tight-lipped, and Mafuyu dozed.

"I'm Super Bun," she murmured in his ear as they approached her apartment door.

Hayasaka faltered.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

He continued walking.

"Honestly, I'm not sure if I was ever going to tell you."

"You told them," Hayasaka muttered, casting a dark gaze towards Aki and Yui, who were a few feet ahead.

"They kinda figured it out for themselves."

"So did I," he argued, unable to hide the quaver in his words. "But then you tricked me."

Mafuyu buried her head into the crook of his neck, muffling her voice, "I'm sorry. I was just… so happy to be treated like a normal girl."

Hayasaka clicked his tongue, "Well, maybe if you'd actually been a normal girl, you wouldn't have been with us and gotten hurt like this."

"I had to protect _YOU!_ "

She lifted her head so that they were nose to nose, her face shadowed by the ebbing light of the sun except for the piercing violet of her eyes. Hayasaka stopped, his mouth shutting with a clack as the fabric on his shoulders were bunched up by her tight fists. Aki and Yui turned to look back at them curiously.

"To protect you and Ninja," she proclaimed, voice low but steady. "To protect any of my friends, I would do _ANYTHING."_

The boys jumped at the intensity of her words, feeling their faces heat up in response. Hayasaka gritted his teeth, "You're our friend, too! Sacrificing yourself like that was noble but foolish! We should be able to trust each other with anything! With… with our secrets…"

"And our troubles," Yui added quietly, rubbing his arm absentmindedly.

"And pain, too," Aki finished, opening the door to her apartment. They shuffled in. Mafuyu, having gone silent, pointed Hayasaka to the direction of her bedroom, where they entered and he let her down to sit on her bed. Aki knelt beside her to check on the wound. "Do you want us to stay for a bit to make sure it doesn't get worse?"

Mafuyu smiled, "I'd like that. And anyways," she glanced over at Hayasaka, who had opened her closet to look for a blanket but was instead faced with a familiar scarf. "I think I have a lot to talk about."

"Kurosaki," Hayasaka's back was still to her as he caressed the soft cloth. "As you, as Super Bun, it doesn't matter. Your words from earlier… were really cool."

"Haha, really?" she scratched at her cheek. "I thought it was kind of cheesy."

Mafuyu yelped as a blanket was tossed over her by Yui, who had gone ahead to find one. When she managed to wriggle around until she could peek under the folds, she was met with Hayasaka's blushing face.

"I'll definitely listen to what you have to say, but please take a nap, first."

0o0 🐇 0o0

"Aw, man, I can't believe Super Bun could have been a sailor scout," Hayasaka whined as he sat cross-legged on the edge of her bed.

"A ninja would have been much better," Yui remarked from the chair placed at the foot of the bed.

Aki reentered the room grinning, laden with a few cans of soda, "If only I'd been in the same year as you, your costume could have been much better!"

"Pfft," Mafuyu waved her hand, propped up on a mountain of pillows with a few layers of blankets covering her lap and legs. "Nothing can beat the simplicity of Super Bun's mask."

"Or the simplicity of your brains," Saeki Takaomi tacked on blandly as he entered, killing intent palpable.

Oh _SHIT._

 ** _End. RIP kids_**


	4. Stolen

A/N - Thanks to folks for commenting about the text showing up weird. Hopefully it's all showing now.

* * *

 **Stolen**

 _*Click!*_ "…Oh! Uh, hi! This is… you've reached M-Kurosaki Mafuyu! I'm not aidable - I mean - available right now! Leave me a message and I'll get back to you when I can. Thanks! … Akki, how do I end the recording? Do you think I should re-" _*Beep!*_ "You have 8 new voicemails. Play all?"

 _*Beep!*_

"Mafuyu! Where are you? Why were you calling? My phone got confiscated because you called during class. Maizono says you should have called him, too. I'm in the teacher's office right now, but I hope you're waiting for us outside and not infiltrating like last time. See you soon!"

 _*Beep!*_

"Ah, Mafuyu, you should've left a few messages or something. Now everyone's badgering me for your number so they can call you, too. I called Akki, but he says you'd just arrived today and separated at the station. Where are you? Please call me back."

 _*Beep!*_

"I hope Kangawa isn't annoying you with all his messages. If he is, should I send more than him? Please bring all your wrath down on me. And answer our calls soon. …This is Maizono, by the way."

 _*Beep!*_

"Hey, Mafuyu! Kangawa, again. Me and the gang are all heading to your house right now. I still blame you for calling me in the middle of class and getting my phone confiscated. Maizono still blames you for NOT calling him in the middle of class so he could get his phone confiscated. Everyone else says hi, and I'm really really sorry for missing all your calls so please pick up soon…"

 _*Beep!*_

"We found a treasure map on your door! You weren't home, so we decided to investigate that. Maybe we'll see you around town? We're at the playground right now and - is that Sakurada? HEY! Heart boxers! What are you doing here? Ah, bye Mafuyu."

 _*Beep!*_

"West High had a map, too! Looks like all of the schools do. We bumped into North High while we were fighting with Sakurada, and then Sakurada made a sudden retreat and left their map piece behind. North High's Aoi gave us their piece because it seemed like too much work and they needed to practice for a game or something. We're heading down towards South High to ask Maizono's friend if he got a piece, too. I wonder what kind of treasure this is leading us towards?"

 _*Beep!*_

"Mafuyu, it's me, Maizono. My best friend, Himeji, was on his way to cram school and gave us his treasure map piece. He's been texting me to keep him updated. We've been going all around Saitama looking for the landmarks on the map. We visited the crepe shop, the theater, the bowling alley, the arcade… and it seems that the last place we have to go is the abandoned auditorium near East High…"

 _*Beep!*_

"Hey, Mafuyu. It was getting late, so the rest of the gang split off to get food. It's just me and Maizono. Once we get the treasure, we'll go see if you're home and then invite everyone for a party. See you soon!"

 _*Beep!*_

Mafuyu's cellphone was pocketed as the last message ended. She glared up at the obnoxious teen who grinned down at her. The grin was too cheeky for someone who'd kept getting bitten while trying to take her phone from her. If it wasn't for the chains, the bruises, and being sat in a position where her legs were asleep, she'd have ended these fools ages ago.

"Finally!" Mr. Obnoxious said. "I'd have liked to get all of the Saitama leaders to gather here, but taking down numbers One and Two of East High, as well as their former banchou, still seems like a pretty worthy accomplishment, don't you think?"

She didn't answer. This joker was prone to monologuing, so she'd been taking advantage of the noise for her own plans. This guy had brought a few dozen of his people from the town over, and she kinda pitied them. What sane people would spend a day waiting in a dusty auditorium and then not have the foresight to bring any games with them? Most of them were getting stir crazy and losing focus. She could deal with that. Just needed a bit more time with this chain link…

"Boss, they're here!" Dammit.

"Wonderful! Places everyone!" The lights went out. Mafuyu worked furiously at her restraints.

The creaky doors slammed open as Kangawa burst in with Maizono at his side, "Treasure!"

Mafuyu strained at her chains, "It's a trap, idiots!"

"Mafuyu?"

Before they could react further, the doors screeched shut, plunging the area into darkness once more. A moment later, a spotlight flickered onto the stage where Mafuyu was held and where Mr. Dickhead lounged in a tattered plush chair.

"So, you've finally arri-"

"Mafuyu!" Kangawa smile was sunshine. "Where've you been?"

"Hah," Mr. Drama forced a smile, recovering from the interruption. "She's been with us, obviously. You should really take care-"

"Ohh, Mafuyu," Maizono eyed the chains approvingly. "Are you participating in something… fun?"

"Excuse me!" Mr. Dumbass looked ready to launch himself out of his chair. "I'm _trying_ to tell you-"

"Did you bring souvenirs? Akki said you went on a school trip recently…"

"Read the room! Duck!"

 _Whoosh!_ They dodged the devastating blows of the metal chairs and finally took defensive stances back to back. Mafuyu winced as her hair was wrenched up.

"Listen up, all of you!" Mr. Fucker growled. "I did not spend two months carefully planning this trip to have three idiots ruin everything. I'm the one with the upper hand here!"

"Uh," Kangawa raised his hand. "Why'd you spend two months planning a treasure hunt?"

"This wasn't a very good treasure hunt, honestly," Maizono commented. "We didn't have to go to any of the landmarks. It was just more fun that way."

"Enough! I've had enough! Get them!" Mr. Tantrum waved his other arm, and his forces began to mob Kangawa and Maizono. "And as for you!" He pulled Mafuyu's hair hard enough to take out a few strands. She glared at him as she finally felt the metal snap in her hands. "You should have been a better prisoner."

On better days, she would have seen the kick coming. All she saw now was the shaky, darkening image of the grimy stage floor as she gasped and coughed for air. Something wet slipped past her lips and splattered red on the wood. Mafuyu grimaced, swallowed the blood pooling in her mouth, and forced herself to finally breathe. Her vision cleared. Something landed hard on the ground next to her.

Oh wow.

The moment the kick had landed, Kangawa and Maizono's killing intent had skyrocketed. They had mowed through the wall of henchmen and barreled straight into Mr. Joker just as he had released Mafuyu's hair and started another villain monologue. Now, he was being beaten into a bloody pulp. Mafuyu felt a small measure of pity. Then, she heard the murmurs from the remaining gang. Plans to take them down while their backs were turned. Unforgivable.

Mafuyu Kurosaki rose. The chains that had been wrapped around her body clattered to the stage and echoed ominously. She glowered down at the crowd as she took a stance to protect her friends. The conviction in their eyes was quickly dying as they fully realized who she was. She smiled.

Piece of cake.

0o0 🐇 0o0

"Mafuyu, you were so cool!" Kangawa enthused as they exited the building full of unconscious bodies.

She groaned and leaned against him as they staggered away from the scene, "Yeah, yeah… Hey, why did you take those?"

Maizono had coiled the chains around his shoulder like a rope. He glanced at the chains then back at her, "Recycling."

"Some of my blood's on that!"

"Oh, hmm," He took another look at it before depositing it in a random neighbor's trash can. "I guess I can get my own later."

They didn't comment further. Mafuyu focused on breathing, walking, and staying conscious. Her first aid kit at home should still be stocked. Geez. This mini vacation sucked.

"Um," Kangawa bent down further to accommodate her weight, slung her arm over his shoulders, and held her upright with his own arm. "How are you doing, by the way? You spit out blood earlier…"

"I bit my tongue."

"Oh!"

"I also have a few bruised ribs, a sprained wrist, and a mild concussion."

"Oh…"

"But you know the worst part?"

"Uh, what?"

"I had to sit on my legs for so long that I feel pins and needles with every step I take."

"PFFT!"

"No!" Maizono interjected. "The worst part is that my _beloved_ , your strong right hand, is no longer at your disposal!"

They didn't make eye contact with him as he passionately waxed soliloquy about his masochistic fixation. Mafuyu looked up the darkening sky, "… So, we're having a party at my house, right?"

Kangawa startled and suddenly remembered all of the messages he sent, "Uh, yeah! Of course! Maizono, send out the group text!"

"Can I invite Himeji?"

"Yeah, text Akki, too."

"And me!" Mafuyu added.

"No!"

"What? Why not?"

"You don't need their numbers to contact them! You just need mine!" He blushed and lowered his voice. "And I guess you have Maizono's, too. But you'll definitely be bothered if everyone texts you all the time."

"Y'know, I wouldn't have a problem with this if you'd answered your phone the first time."

"You're… you're right," Kangawa despaired. "I'm sorry…"

"Although, I'll be honest… I was kind of already on my way into the trap when I called you."

"What."

"They lured me in with the promise of food and pretty ladies," She admitted, embarrassed.

"Oh my god, _Mafuyu_."

"I'm only human! You walked into it, too! You didn't even know what kind of treasure it was going to be! What if it had been wigs, again?!"

"Hey, that one started with you and Akki. But, you're right. We… _really_ need to stop falling for stuff like that."

"Mafuyu," Maizono looked up from his phone. "Everyone wants to know what you want them to bring."

"Oh! Lemme think…"

0o0 🐇 0o0

Mafuyu was glad her parents were away. They would have never approved of such a rowdy party. The whole gang appeared just as she, Kangawa, and Maizono got home. Akki had arrived with his own med kit and helped the three of them accordingly. Food and drinks were consumed. Games were played. Jokes and stories were exchanged.

It was bliss. All it was missing was the rest of her friends from Midorigaoka. Maybe after the school year… Ah… Wait… School.

She had promised Takaomi she'd finish her homework tonight.

Oops.

End.


End file.
